wordsBrE /wɜːdz/ NAmE /wɜːrdz/► SEE ALLhave/exchange words (with sb) (about sth)in other words(not) in so/as many wordsin words of one syllablea play on wordsput words in/into sb’s mouthtake the words (right) out of sb’s mouthtoo funny, sad, etc. for wordswords fail meactions speak louder than wordseat your wordsfamous last wordsa man/woman of few wordshang on sb’s words/every wordat a loss for wordsbe lost for wordsmark my wordsnot mince your wordsa war of wordsweigh your words ●have/exchange ˈwords (with sb) (about sth) (especially BrE) argue or quarrel with sb because you do not like the way they have behaved（与某人）争论，争吵◆I had to have words with him about his behaviour. 我得批评他几句，他的举止太过分了。◆They both got angry and had words. 他们两人都很生气，吵了起来。●in ˈother wordsexpressed in a different way; that is to say换句话说；也就是说；换言之◆‘I don’t think this is the right job for you, Pete.’ ‘In other words, you want me to leave. Is that it?’ “皮特，我认为这个工作不太适合你。”“换句话说，你要开除我，是不是？”●(not) in so/as many ˈwords(not) in exactly the same words that sb says were used（并非）一字不差地，原原本本地◆Did he actually say in so many words that there was no hope of a cure? 他明确说没救了吗？●in words of one ˈsyllableusing very simple language so that sb will understand简言之；简单明了地说◆They didn’t seem to understand my explanation, so I explained it all again in words of one syllable. 他们似乎没有听懂我的话，所以我用极其简单的语言又解释了一遍。●a play on ˈwordsa clever or amusing use of a word that has more than one meaning, or of words that have different meanings but sound similar/the same; a pun语带双关；双关语；俏皮话◆When Elvis Presley had his hair cut off in the army he said, ‘Hair today and gone tomorrow’. It was a play on words — the usual expression is ‘here today and gone tomorrow.’ 当埃尔维斯∙普雷斯利在军队里把头发剪短的时候，他说hair today and gone tomorrow（今日有头发，明天就没了）。这是一个双关语，通常的说法是here today and gone tomorrow（今日在此，明日离开）。▸ˈwordplay
noun
◆Many of the jokes are based on puns and wordplay. 许多笑话都是基于双关语的巧妙使用。●put ˈwords in/into sb’s mouthsay or suggest that sb has said sth, when they have not硬说某人说过某些话◆You’re putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say the whole house was dirty, I just said the living room needed a clean. 你不要造谣。我从没说过整个屋子都很脏，我只是说客厅需要打扫一下。●take the words (right) out of sb’s ˈmouthsay exactly what another person was going to say说出某人想说的话；说中别人的意思◆‘The speed limit on motorways should be raised.’ ‘I agree completely! You’ve taken the words right out of my mouth!’ “高速公路的限速应该提高。”“我完全同意！这正是我想说的。”●too funny, sad, etc. for ˈwordsextremely funny, sad, etc.有趣（或悲伤等）得无法形容◆The man in the post office was too stupid for words. 邮局里的那个人蠢到家了。●words ˈfail meI cannot express how I feel (because I am too surprised, angry, etc.)（因过于吃惊、生气等）我不知道该如何说◆Words fail me! How could you have been so stupid? 我都不知道该怎么说！你怎么会这么愚蠢？●ˌactions speak ˌlouder than ˈwords (saying) what you do is more important than what you say行动胜于言辞；事实胜于雄辩◆You said you’d help me, but you know what they say: actions speak louder than words!你说过会帮助我，但你应该知道有这样一句俗话：行动胜于言辞！●eat your ˈwordsbe forced to admit that what you have said before was wrong（被迫）收回前言，承认说错◆Nick told everyone that he’d be picked for the team, but when he wasn’t chosen he had to eat his words.尼克本来对大家说，他肯定会被挑进球队，结果没被选上，他只得承认自己说错了。●ˌfamous ˌlast ˈwords (informal, humorous) used when you think sb has been too optimistic about sth and is likely to be wrong鬼才相信的漂亮话◆‘The journey will only take an hour on the high-speed train.’ ‘Famous last words! That train is always late!’“坐高速列车的话，整个行程只要一个小时。”“说得好听！那趟车总是晚点！”NOTELast words in this idiom refers to words spoken by somebody just before they die.这个习语中的 last words 原指人的临终遗言。●a man/woman of few ˈwordsa person who does not talk much少言寡语的人◆Mr Robins was a man of few words, but his opinions were always respected.罗宾斯先生话不多，但他的意见总是得到人们的重视。●hang on sb’s ˈwords/every ˈwordlisten to what sb says with great attention倾听；仔细听◆The professor was talking to a group of students, who hung on her every word.教授在讲话，学生们都在全神贯注地听她说的每一个字。●at a ˌloss for ˈwordsunable to say anything无言以对；找不到话说◆He’s never at a loss for words, in fact it’s difficult sometimes to stop him talking.他从不会找不到话说。事实上，有时候他一打开话匣子就停不下来。◆I was completely at a loss for words. I had never been spoken to like that in my whole life.我一句话也说不出来。在我的一生中，从来没有人这样对我讲过话。●be lost for ˈwordsbe so surprised, confused, etc. that you do not know what to say（惊讶、困惑等得）不知说什么才好◆When he told me what she’d done to him I was lost for words.他告诉我她对他的所作所为时，我惊讶得说不出话来。●ˌmark my ˈwords (old-fashioned, spoken) (often used for introducing a warning常用于提醒) listen carefully to what I am saying注意听我讲话；留心听我的话◆He’ll be back, mark my words! He never stays away for long.听我说！他很快就会回来，他从不离开太久。●not mince your ˈwords ( not ˈmince matters) speak openly or directly; say what you think, even though you may offend sb说话不隐讳；直言不讳◆Sir John, never a man to mince his words, said in a TV interview that the government had lied.约翰爵士是个直言不讳的人，他在一次电视采访中说政府欺骗了民众。◆I won’t mince matters: I think it’s a stupid idea.我实话实说，这是个愚蠢的主意。OPPpull your punches●a ˌwar of ˈwordsa fierce argument or disagreement over a period of time between two or more people or groups舌战；论战◆the political war of words over tax有关税收问题的政治论战●weigh your ˈwordscarefully choose the words you use when you speak or write推敲；斟酌词句◆He spoke very slowly, weighing his words.他说话慢条斯理，字斟句酌。